Singer. She was best known as the lead singer of the 1960s pop girl group The Shangri-Las, whose biggest hit “The Leader of the Pack” hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1964. After getting into singing at an early age, she, along with sister Betty and good friends Mary Ann and Margie Ganser, started singing at local dances and hops. They drew the attention of local producer Artie Ripp and signed first with Kama Sutra Productions, and then with Red Bird Records. In 1964, they recorded their first songs “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” and “Leader of the Pack.” The latter song would go on to be number one on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. They would go on to be one of the leading girl groups of the 1960s before splitting up in 1968. The Shangri-Las would try to make a comeback in the 1970s and performed for the last time in 1989 at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. She later worked in both the furniture and architectural fields. In the early 21st Century, she tried a solo singing career. In 2019, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honored the Shangri-Las’ “Leader of the Pack.” on which she sang lead, in the Hall’s Singles category.
Thoughtful and important status. Those of us who usually
